Happy Halloween!

It's a lovely spooky, misty day here on the island - perfect for those spirits to walk amongst us. Here are two horrifying photos for you. 1) Our cheery looking jack-o-lantern and 2) me making a collar for a halloween costume (to order). Which is more terrifying? Let me give you a clue, it's the one that rhymes with "next year I am buying a polyester piece of crap off ebay." My Little House on the Prairie girl looks like she's wearing her great grandma's voluminious night dress... and I have spent the last three days making her look just so. For future reference McCall's 9424 .... forget about it.

Knitting season

It's FALL / AUTUMN !

I can tell because: a) it's cooler b) I just bought some coloured corduroy jeans that remind me of pumpkins and c) I have that weird seasonal visceral craving to break out the sticks and start knitting.

Knit wips are calling to me as they bulge out of the cupboards - "pick me! pick me!". I also realised I spent a long time thinking about wrist warmers after seeing some on a girl in the whole foods store in town and then, the clincher - I noticed that I slowed down as I drove by the yarn store.

I think it's time to see if I can remember my ravelry password. Who's joining me?

Spontaneous sewing

I started snipping and sewing and I didn't stop. I didn't want to use a pattern or make something to sell or make something that needed to be anything other than a simple expression of what I was feeling right at that moment. I made a little guy and I love him (or her?) so much. I want to do more sewing like this. All of it is hand sewn and some of it is already coming apart at the seams but all of it makes me feel completely happy... and creatively satiated for a short time in this very long summer. Here's to spontaneous sewing!

Notes from a sunny spot (blink and you'll miss it)

Check out that sun - yes, we got some sun. It confused me with its lovely warm brightness and I was momentarily stunned and sat on the back deck saying "gahhhh!". It only lasted a day or so and now we're back into the reassuringly consistant rain, but boy, it was good while it lasted.

I planted vegetables, I finished a quilt etc. If I'd cooked some kind of bread or boiled my own soup stock I would have completed the trifecta of domestic awesomeness.

Other things of the non-domestic awesome variety:

- Waxy.org turns 10 - Happy blog birthday Andy! I love his thoughts on blogging in a world of microblogging. Encouraging and inspiring, as always.

- Jordan's kickstarter page which is mind BLOWING (I've been hitting refresh every... oh, let's say...minute?). The wonderful response to the campaign has been incredible - and yet again I am reassured that the old saying "do what you love and good things will follow" (or whatever it is) has some truth in it.

Speaking of female leads in the fantasy genre:

- Game of Thrones - which I watch from the very edge of the couch. There is the story and the art direction and the whole fantasy genre which I have always loved - but also worth noting is the fact that in this second season there are so many fantastic, often cliche-busting, kick-ass female main characters. You won't find any token females playing elves looking ethereal and beautiful in a magical forest, but instead at least a dozen interesting three dimensional characters. The sexual violence, while still apparent, is toned down this season - sexual politics is still a main focus but the unexpected twists and turns are part of what makes the show interesting. I am waiting for Sansa to start kicking it - I hope she does. Some of my friends say "girl, it's so violent, how can you bear it?" but I just can. And I will. And I love it. The story surprises me.

Back closer to home:

Salt Spring Island's Saturday Market - is back for the warm season and is bubbling away with homemade soaps, goats cheese, heirloom carrots and fresh baked treats. Don't expect to escape without spending any money. Just try to resist.

Music - I've been clumsily figuring out a couple of songs on the ukulele (Lumineers! Damien Jurado! Oh and this one! So good! Watch out folk scene - I am totally hot on your heels) and then singing them badly over and over to the point where even the smallest members of the household are groaning "NOT AGAIN! SPARE US, PLEASE!". Regardless, trust me on this: when you turn 40, buy yourself a musical instrument. It's the healthy part of the whole mid-life crisis thing.

Favourite things to do on Salt Spring #1 - Bead making with Bling Squared

Winter is dragging on, my friends, but perhaps there's an end in sight. Grey days are punctuated occasionally with big fat sunny days. I noticed last night that there is now some light in the sky after 5pm and the air is starting to a smell a little springy (when the stink from the Crofton pulp mill over on Vancouver Island isn't wafting by - ah yes - hello reality).

I knew that the long winters were a "thing" here - and no kidding, they really are - but island life does not seem to slow down. Our weekends are packed brim full with outings and events, hikes, music, playdates, parties and potlucks. Perhaps eventually the novelty of so much to do will wear off but at the moment we seem to be trying to jam in as much as we can until we drop.

This last weekend was no different. It was grey and a little bit rainy but Phil and the kids attended Seedy Saturday at the Farmer's Institute where they bought packets of seeds and mingled with the green thumbs. Meanwhile I hopped along with my friend Zandra to a glass bead making workshop with our lovely friend Neacol Miller from Bling Squared.

Out in Stanley and Neacol's newly refurbished studio two fabulously hot torches blaze away, blue and beautiful.  I can tell you now, I felt a little tentative about this whole glass and flame thing. I was worried I might burn my eyebrows or permanently melt incorrectly labeled clothing to my arm, or find myself accidentally dropping blobs of hot glass onto my skin . I am pleased to report that none of these things happened, nor were they ever likely to. After a very reassuring safety rundown, Neacol gave us a demonstration of bead making and like a true professional made it look like the easiest thing ever. Then it was our turn. Under Neacol's careful watch and with her constant tips it really didn't take long to feel completely comfortable with the little swirling glass mass and before we knew it we were making BEADS baby!

There is something utterly seductive about melting glass and the burning hot torch. Firstly, as Neacol pointed out, there is the meditative act of continually staring into a flame. Bring on the lost hours and the oms.  And then there is the other-worldly beauty of the molten glass and the swirling of colours and the way the glass reacts to the heat, the cold air, gravity and the turn of your hand. It's so yummy looking you could eat it, but really don't, that would be scary and horrible. But you know, it looks like you could. Swirly glassy yummy molteness.

After the class I was buzzing all day and telling everyone I met in town "I just made glass beads!". And I want to do it again.

This was the most creative fun I've had in ages - and if you happen to be on Salt Spring or are planning a visit you can do it too. Neacol and Stanley are running workshops, the first one is coming up on February 19th which is, yes -- soon.

" 'Introduction to Glass Bead Making' classes! The first will be held Sunday, February 19th and the second on Saturday, February 25th - both from 1pm to 4pm. $100 includes supplies and you'll come away with several of your own beads. Class size is limited to two students so drop us a line if you are interested! bling2glass@gmail.com "

Find them on: Facebook Twitter and at their Website

Here you can get a little taste of the process:

Bling Squared from Jordan Stratford on Vimeo.

 

Now I'm off to turn skipping ropes for elementary school kids in the sun. Because today it happens to be sunny!

By the way this is a non-sponsored spot - nothing unusual here. I just LOVED it, so much so I wrote a blog post. And these days, that's really saying something.

Christmas crafts circa 2006 (the good ol' days)

We're in the middle of Seasonal crazy, you just can't avoid it.

I thought I would remind you of some good seasonal stuff from 2006 - when I could muster a little more energy for crafts than one small window of paper snowflakes.

In 2006 Phil and I had a second baby and simultaneously started blogging about children's crafts and activities over at kiddley.com -- we soon discovered that maintaining multiple blogs, jobs and having a newborn was enough to drive anyone bonkers so we dropped it (the blog, not the baby) in early 2007. We were sad to let it go as it was a popular spot and kept us motivated to try some great things we would otherwise never have considered.

One thing that was especially super awesome about kiddley was all the guest posts we got for the holiday period in November and December. Some of my all time favourite craft and parenting bloggers were so very kind and generous with their time and creativity, contributing their favourite projects for the season. I look at this list of amazing women and think about the years since and all the things that have happened in their lives : the sweet things, the sad things, the successes and the friendships. I still consider these women some of the most important on the internet, to me and to their legions of fans.

Look and find:

Advent stockings from Amanda Soule of Soulemama

Crazy hat crackers from Amber Carvan of Kids Craft Weekly

The incredibly popular Gumdrop Wreath from the beautiful, beautiful Alicia Paulson of Posie gets Cozy

Dress up paper doll and ornament from Sarah Neuburger of The Small Object

Christmas fun jar from Andrea Corrona Jenkins from Hula Seventy

Junk Food Ornaments from Heather Bailey of Hello My Name is Heather

Tealight Place settings from Carly Schwerdt from Moopy and Me

Festive Bird Finger Puppets from Lyn Roberts from Molly Chicken (sniff! miss her)

Paper Santa Lucia crowns and hats from Stephanie Congdon Barnes (oh and how I miss her too!)

Pecan + pretzel + chocolate = delicious from Amy Karol of Angry Chicken

Camping with kids and Presents for kids to make for their friends and Cheap and Easy Gifts for multiples of  kids from Kathreen Ricketson of Whipup

Planning for the holidays from Asha Dornfest of Parenthacks

Paper garlands from Fiona Dalton of Hop Skip Jump

Christmas Piñatas from Alison Brookbanks of Six and a Half Stitches

Pom-pom garland from Heidi Kenney of My Paper Crane

Making candy cane and lollipop ornaments from Christina Gordon of Jam Fancy

Pinecone hedgehogs and Origami Advent Calendar from Myra Masuda of My Little Mochi

Advent Stick Jo from Artsy Fartsy Mama

and last but by no means least,

Fall Leaf Art from Blair Stocker of Wisecraft

 

Nanny McPhee and the Crochet Rug

We've been fairly knocked over by Nanny McPhee these holidays. The first one has been on high rotation on the dvd player and we bustled along to the Rivoli on Wednesday to fully enjoy Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang. I love the art direction of both movies so much. Beautiful colours and textiles and painted wood.

To add a little of all that to our home, I am making my own Nanny McPhee crochet blanket (screenshot from the film above, top). I thought it might look nice on our bed - but to cover a queen size bed will require 1024 squares! That's an awful lot of hooking. In the last three days I have managed 9. 1015 to go. I need to get quicker or it might end up on the sofa as a far smaller throw. Or maybe a doll blanket.

Old Noey & New Noey

Noey 2005

2005 Noey and 2010 Noey Redux

New Noey in old (washed and pressed) dress

I have just finished working on a special project.

The top photo is Old Noey, first made and sold in February 2005. She was one of my very first batch of kitten softies. After Noey travelled across the sea, she was given to a little girl and was much loved and cuddled - for almost five fabulous years. But after all that cuddling she started to wear  thin. Stuffing started to come out and her head had become distorted. There was a little breakfast cereal on her stockings and my hand stitching had started to unravel -- so much so there was a fair chance that her head would come off altogether. So Old Noey came back here again for some R & R, special stuffing based chicken soup, and Australian sunshine. She's had a good holiday and now has roses in her cheeks and a fresh spring in her step. She's packed her new spare sundress and her journal and she's heading back to Georgia, USA to little Tess who has been waiting patiently for her return.

Give Away and small knitted hat tutorial

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I have been making little ornaments for gifts and thought I would share my super simple knitted hat pattern with you. (please use it for personal use and gifts only! Thanks folks).

The little wooden blank dolls are from Winterwood but you can get loads on etsy from sellers such as Goose Greese Undone or Gemmielou. The head diameter of the ones I use is about 2cm.

I use 4 ply sock wool and I like using the variegated stuff (is that what a yarn buff would call it? the Patons stuff is called "Patonyle") so that I get spontaneous stripes and patterns. My needles are size 2 3/4 (that's  12 English size and 2 US size apparently!).

So; make a cup of tea, crack out the gingerbread, wield your long skinny needles and...

Cast on 20 stitches

Row 1: Knit 2, purl 2 and repeat until the end of the row

Repeat for two more rows to make the ribbing.

Next row: Knit row

Next row: Purl row

Next row: You will now begin to decrease to make the pointed hat. Knit 2 together and then knit to the end of the row.

Next row: Purl 2 together and then purl to the end of the row.

Repeat until you have one stitch left on your needle. Cast off.

Turn right sides together and sew sides together using row ends, leaving the bottom of the hat open. Turn inside out, using a chop stick or a knitting needle head to push the tip through. Embelish with sequins and beads or with simple embroidered details. Glue it to your little doll's head.

And now the give away part - I will be making three of these little christmas ornaments to hang on the tree and will give them away to three lucky commenters. All you need to do is leave a (one only) comment  (of the creative and eloquent kind - natch!) on this post and I will draw three random numbers out of the hat next week. Comments will be closed on Monday 14th December 2009 7am Australian EST. Thanks! xx

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Edit to say: Comments now closed! Thank you. I will draw three winners later today.

A birthday present

christinadoll02 christinadoll01

Greetings from Sleep Deprivation Land! Woah - sick kids and no sleep are beginning to get to me... I have tried to edit this post over 24 hours and I just can't get a nice flow so publish and be damned, I say, and sorry it isn't more sparkly:

I have just finished this doll to give to a good friend on her big 4-0. I based the idea for this doll on  a quick doodle I did last year. She's a bit more clown-like, but I quite like her. I made up a new pattern using elements of my punkdorf doll pattern (arms and legs - less seam allowance), and a crazy adaptation of my marshamllow rabbits, believe it or not. Her legs are attached with buttons - a technique I learnt from Mimi and her fabulous felt doll tutorial at Purl Bee. Her dress is lifted directly from Fiona's gorgeous Poppy Doll pattern (such a good pattern!) which was so quick and easy to make that I am looking forward to finding some time to make an actual Poppy doll. I used wool fleece to stuff my doll which was a great choice for something that needed a strong form and not much squish. Even so, I had to stablise her neck with half a paddle pop stick and it still has wrinkles (grr).

Off to have a coffee (my best friend).

Tomorrow we are off to Byron Bay but I am going to auto-publish next week's What's Hot and What's Not on Wednesday so join me then - hopefully the widget works. xx

Painstaking Coraline

I was doing some searches on "doll hair" (because I am making a new doll for the Softies for Mirabel project, are you?) and I found an interview with Suzanne Moulten, head of the hair department on the movie Coraline. It's pretty cool to think that you might spend you whole working life carefully making beautiful stop-motion hair.

I went on to find another crafty Coraline video - Althea Crome's tiny knitting. It really is incredible to see such beautiful, tiny knitted pieces.

I spent so much of my childhood making tiny things to fit out my doll's house. There were hours spent tinkering away at little tissue boxes and christmas puddings with my friend Pia. Pia had the patience and the inspiration (and the endless supply of Liberty scraps) to make the most breathtaking little bits. I just did a web search to see if I could find Pia and HEY there she is! She's got her own crafty label. Hello Pia - if you ever google yourself and eventually come across this post. Glad to see you are still making.

"When one shrinks a craft or a skill into something so tiny it asks the viewer to imagine how it was done"

Now I am off to make some really tiny jars of cumquat marmalade.

Starry Serenade Redwork Pattern

starry02 I've been working on my contribution to Kirsty's Rework Quilt Project and have been enjoying the gentle, repetitive stitching.

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I drew up my pattern in Adobe Illustrator so thought it would be easy to write up some accompanying instructions, save it all as a pdf and put it up here as a downloadable embroidery pattern - for you! From me! For freee!

download

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print off this file, which is available for free here.

get_adobe_reader

The pattern and instructions are copyright and are for personal use only. Please don't copy and redistribute it, or sell items made from the work. But you know all that. Thank you.

Let me know what you think  - I might do some more in the future.

< adverting spot > Don't forget the prints and rabbits and kokeshi dolls - all available now but selling fast! < / advertising spot >

My Creative Space today

mycreativespace007a I am taking part in Koo's My Creative Space  meme again this week and, as per the game plan, I have hidden a heart somewhere on my desk. For easier heart-hunting you can click on the photo for a bigger image.  

My creative space is getting tidier this week. I have to clear the decks for a onslaught of gocco printing and bunny sewing. 

papermoon05

Here's my Paper Moon illustration, slightly changed to satisfy my inner (and outer!) critics. I am working on rescanning and making colour seperations this week, ready for printing up next week. Fun! 

More creative spaces (with hidden hearts) at kootoyoo.

Off to Nicaragua

punkdorf_crafthope punkdorf_crafthope02

I have almost finished this little girl, ready to send off to Eren and then on to Nicaragua. She needs a few more pieces in her wardrobe, because (well, really) a girl can't go on a long trip to Central America without any pants.

She's a funny one. As with my other punkdorf dolls, I made her sans-pattern. She's got tiny, skinny little legs, one longer than the other, and big, boofy arms. While she looks a little dull in these photos (I find that these dolls are impossible to photograph) I think she's actually pretty cute (even if I do say so myself) and definitely squishy enough to find someone to love her.

My Creative Space today is COLD

mycreativespace004 This is the stuff that I pulled out of my bag (apart from the laptop) from last night when I got to go and do some stitching in a place where the ducted heating was belting out good warmth. Thank you to my kind host who kept it running for my sake even though it meant several people had to go bare foot to enjoy the balmy climate.

"My Creative Space" this week has still mostly been on my laptop doing my Every Day in May writing, but I have also been working on my doll to send off for the Casa Bernabe Orphanage project. Her head is much smaller than the dolls I made for my girls for Christmas but she should still be a decent, huggable size.

Other acts of random creativity this week:

1) I made a chicken pie. It wasn't ready when I had to leave last night, but there's enough to serve up again tonight and I am looking forward to that goodness. I learnt that I can make a pie (including the pastry) fast, if I need to.

2) I started sketching some ideas for a Paper Moon print. I will need to clean the studio before I can get the gocco out but it's great motivation.

3) ... hmm.. it's been a bit quiet creatively speaking. Oh, but that's right : the writing! Apart from yesterday, I have managed to get at least 500 words down every day, even though it's way too cold to get up at 5.30 at the moment. My manuscript's at 65, 363 words and that's with some heavy edits. The plot structure is out.of.control - I was thinking yesterday that it's a little holding a jelly (jello?) in my hands. No matter how hard I try and hang on to it, bits ooze between my fingers and the whole lot threatens to fall at my feet in a big messy splat. But it's draft one, it's always going to be a jelly draft. At least this one is raspberry flavoured.

everyday_mini

Other My Creative Spaces here, thanks to Kirsty. xx

My uncle rocks!

runawaymichael My Uncle Michael has always been such a good mate to me. We have long, rambley conversations about creativity, and true callings and all that. We put each other on to good things (The Artist's Way, Elizabeth Gilbert etc) and share a common understanding of what matters to us - I know if I say something  about my work or my need to write, or draw or craft, he just 'gets' it, even if I am talking in vague and slightly frustrated terms. 

Recently I have been helping Michael get his beautiful turned wood up and onto etsy - and I was going to try and write something coherent about his work but his profile from etsy says it all beautifully:

"I discovered my passion for wood and wood turning back in 1995 after a trip to Tasmania and then discovering my father's old home handyman's drill kit with a rudimentary lathe attachment. My first piece was a huon pine candle stick. Now I devote my time to finding timber that I can open up and discover what lies beneath...and my 25 years as an architect has given me a sensitivity to design which I bring into the shapes I make on the lathe. I feel it is important that the wood speaks for itself and I help that with the shaping and finishing of each individual piece.

I enjoy making objects that are not only a pleasure to look at but also practical...."

I just wanted to add that Michael's work is exquisite, and tasteful and modern and I am pleased that I can say that from the heart (and not just say that out of familial obligation!).

He is also very open to discussing custom pieces so do contact him if you have an idea.

See? I told you he rocks.

 

PLEASE NOTE: Michael is in Sydney but his prices are in US Dollars.

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everyday_mini

Day six: Finished 500 words, just, by 11pm. Exhausted. Right as I hit the 500 word mark (or there abouts) smallest child started vomiting, thus eliminating the possibility of getting up the next morning at 5.30 am.

Day seven: Tired day - slept through the 5.30 am wake up time, as predicted. Spent a lot of precious time resizing pretty images of writers' rooms to fit in my blog template and then had to write my 500 words after the kids were asleep. Wrapped it up around 10.30 having written 1,230 words.

Day eight: Lily might (just might!) be asleep at 12.35. I am going to try getting my 500 words down right.now. Where are the lollies?

Dolls for the Casa Bernabe Orphanage

crafthope I have just signed up to make a doll to contribute to Craft Hope's second project, which is to supply as many dolls as possible to the children at the  Casa Bernabe Orphanage in Nicaragua.

"The orphanage ... house[s] children from the ages of 4 to 18, boys and girls.  They are currently working to not only feed and clothe the kids, they are starting to really focus on their psychological and emotional health as well.  When the children arrive at the orphanage, they literally have nothing and we would love to give them something that is “theirs.”

Craft Hope is working with Eren and the ORPHANetwork to provide handmade, soft-bodied dolls for the children.  Many of the children come from abusive situations and the dolls will allow the children to develop the mothering and nurturing instincts that most little girls have.

Here is what we are needing…   Of course, the dolls must be handmade.  We will need girl, as well as boy dolls.  We ask that the dolls have brown hair and brown eyes, since we would like them to resemble the children they are going to.  You may use any pattern you like.

If you have never tried sewing a doll, it’s okay!  Just give it a shot.  We aren’t looking for perfection, we are looking for the love that goes into making the item.  This is also a good project to get your children involved.  You can even put a little heart inside the doll.  Be creative, it’s your creation that will be loved no matter what."

Sign up over at Craft Hope now if this seems like something you would like to be a part of, get sewing and send your contribution/s to Craft Hope in the States for June 13th.